One of the grand goals of materials science is to be able to design, build, and understand functional materials with a precision that is equal to the size of
the smallest possible entity, i.e. the size of an atom. This atomic‐scale
engineering of materials is a difficult, if not impossible, feat to achieve in
three dimensions. In two dimensions, it is already challenging enough. The large‐scale, controlled positioning, application, and patterning of individual
atoms and molecules on a substrate remains an elusive goal to this day Several
techniques exist, but each has its drawbacks with respect to homogeneity of
the fabricated structures, the defect density, or other relevant properties.
In this work, we explore a novel approach to the functionalization of
substrates. The noncovalent patterning and functionalization of substrates is
investigated to establish its effectiveness for future applications. The aim
of our work is to directly image the formation of the patterns, and to expose
and quantify the relevant thermodynamic growth parameters. Features that are
relevant to the positioning of the self‐assembling entities can also be
identified through this approach. In the formation of the final patterns, we
aim to exploit long‐range interactions that are normally present in
self‐assembling systems.